Dendermonde -Sint Amands at 40,0km

Dear cyclists, this bike tour 40km with 50% unpaved roads (hiking trails) is recommended to do this in dry weather eg: spring-summer-autumn

Three provinces in one bike tour: East Flanders/Brabant/Antwerp.

You can enjoy the beautiful region with varied landscapes, beautiful varied bike ride along with a few km along the towpath of the Scheldt, the bike ride goes away from the Scheldt and then continues cycling on rural and quiet roads through meadows, fields, forests,

We pass the castle Hof Te Melis - via the church of Lippelo and the chapel of ter Nood We pass the border post of the three provinces : Antwerp (Sint-Amands)(Lippelo) – East Flanders (Buggenhout – Opdorp) Brabant (Londerzeel - Malderen).

Silent Waters

According to insiders, you will find the most beautiful Scheldt bend on the authentic Scheldt village of Sint-Amands. You will undoubtedly recognize it from the successful series 'Stille Waters', referring to the moment when the current, between ebb and flow, stops for a moment. Along the banks you will find the tomb of village poet Emile Verhaeren, a worthy place with a view of the meandering Scheldt.

By the way, did you know that you can do 'bank hopping' here? With the triangle spring Mariekerke - Moerzeke - Sint-Amands you are on the other side in no time. In short: it is pure enjoyment in Puurs-Sint-Amands!

Cradle of asparagus

Who doesn't want to enjoy this regional product from Klein-Brabant and by extension Scheldeland? That the inhabitants of Puurs-Sint-Amands are proud of their 'white gold' becomes clear during the annual Asparagus Festival in the Hof van Coolhem. In this graceful park you will find the asparagus garden where you can get to know the fascinating history and cultivation up close.

The Hof te Melis is a castle in the Belgian village of Lippelo. After the death of Viscountess of Eyll, widow of former mayor of Lippelo Viscount de Beughem de Houtem, the castle became, according to the will of the latter, the property of Count Geoffrey de Pierrefeu, who still inhabits it

The landscape 'Lippelobos en kasteeldomein Hof te Melis met omgeving' is located on the territory of the municipalities of Sint-Amands and Londerzeel, on the transition between the Zandstreek and the Kleistreek, on the border of the provinces of Antwerp and Flemish Brabant. The boundary is formed by the Provincial road and the center of Lippelo in the north and northeast, the Molenbeek in the east, Kruisheide in the south and Drie Huizen and the provincial border in the west. The area consists of an agricultural area with many meadows, interspersed with fields and small forests. Centrally located in this landscape is the Hof te Melis, a moat with forecourt and outbuildings and the castle complex from the first quarter of the 20th century, and the surrounding Lippelobos.

The Lippelobos itself is composed of two spatially distinctly different parts. On the one hand there is the forest around the castle (the inner forest), which with many lanes and park plantings has the appearance of a walking forest, on the other hand there is the outdoor forest that gives a less organized impression. Both are separated from each other by a wide rampart or moat. This centrally located forest complex contrasts with the open meadows along the west side. As a whole, it is a varied landscape with structurally different entities that each have a typical view. The forest is also extremely important and valuable in terms of fungi at that time; It is the growing place of more than 100 fungus species with rare specimens such as pine foot fungus and oak tenderloin.

On the edge of Lippelo Bos and a stone's throw from castle 'Hof te Melis' you will find eatery and talk café 'De Wandeling'. Both in the unique atmosphere of the authentic farm — built around 1900 — and on the pleasant sun terrace it is always pleasant to stay.

Enjoy this bike tour Emiel Peeters